


Midnight Desserts

by TheFoolsKnightober (TheFoolsKnight)



Series: Flufftober 2020 [6]
Category: The Eldest Curses Series - Cassandra Clare, The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Boarding School, Birthday, Birthday Fluff, Boarding School, Fluff, Flufftober, Flufftober 2020, M/M, Roommates, Sharing a Room
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:21:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26859622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFoolsKnight/pseuds/TheFoolsKnightober
Summary: Flufftober Day 6 - CakeWhen Magnus's father bails on him two days before his birthday, Alec makes it his duty to make sure that Magnus has a wonderful birthday.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Flufftober 2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1948024
Comments: 3
Kudos: 48





	Midnight Desserts

"What's wrong, Magnus?"

Alec's ears perked up at the sound of Magnus's name, and he had to pause eating for a brief moment.

"Nothing much," came Magnus's voice from, Alec estimated, the table behind him. "It's same as usual. He's got work. He won't make it."

"But it's your  _ birthday!"  _ Ragnor, Magnus's closest friend was saying, and Alec's attention diverted completely from his meal. "Surely he can make some time on your birthday?"

"Let it go, Ragnor," Magnus said, and Alec's heart broke a little upon hearing his defeated tone. "It's been the same every year. I didn't expect any differently this time."

"If you didn't expect anything," Ragnor said gently. "You wouldn't have called him."

There was silence - not exactly silence, for the cafeteria of the Alicante Boarding School was bustling as always, but Magnus and Ragnor were both awfully silent for a moment. Alec slowly took a bite of his porridge, and listened intently.

There was the sound of a chair scraping against the ground, and then Magnus was saying, "I'm not really hungry. I'm going to go to my room. See you later in class, Ragnor."

"Magnus, wait!"

Alec turned halfway towards them and saw Magnus scurrying away, his head bowed, his food laden tray held in his hands. Ragnor was running after him, attempting to talk to Magnus, who was clearly not listening. 

Alec sighed and turned back to his food. No one at the table noticed his dilemma. Alec was acquainted with a few of them, but they were all clearly more interested in talking to their friends. Alec had always been the quiet one, the one who simply stuck to himself and no one had really made an effort to try and talk to him and get to know him.

Except for one.

Alec's mind raced as he slowly ate the rest of his food. Magnus, who just so happened to share a room with Alec, was the only person in this place that he was truly close to. Magnus always engaged him in conversation, and never seemed to mind that he was always the one who initiated those conversations. They'd spent several nights lying awake in their respective beds, their voices carrying in the dark and laughter ringing out loud for anyone who was awake to hear it. Magnus was the only reason Alec didn't feel alone in this place.

While Alec wasn't the person closest to Magnus, Magnus certainly was the person closest to Alec. He  _ had  _ to do something a out this, right?

Cogs still turning in his mind, Alec picked up his now empty tray and left to dump it.

"And what do I get in return?"

Alec stared for a moment at the boy in front of him, then said, "I'll pay you back the entire cost along with my next week's allowance."

Raphael Santiago raised an eyebrow. "That's a lot."

"He means a lot to me," Alec said in a low voice.

"Still, I don't see why you're dragging  _ me  _ into this."

"You're the only person I know who is allowed to leave the school everyday since your house is pretty close," Alec pointed out. "You're the only one I know who can help me with this."

"Fine," Raphael grumbled. "But you better keep your word."

Alec's shoulders relaxed. "I will."

"Ragnor told me you didn't eat lunch," Alec said, leaning against the doorway and staring at Magnus, who was sitting on the ground and rummaging through his trunk for something. It wasn't a lie, really. Ragnor  _ had  _ confronted him and told him that Magnus had skipped meals.

"Didn't feel like eating," Magnus mumbled, his eyes still on the trunk. Alec stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, moving to sit on his bed.

"You never skip meals," Alec said. "Is everything alright?"

"Of course," Magnus said in a light tone. "Why wouldn't it be? Anyway, aren't you going to have dinner?"

Alec stared at him for a long moment, then grabbed his backpack and fished through it.

"My mom dropped by earlier," Alec said, pulling out two plastic boxes. "She gave me a box of pasta, so that will be dinner for me."

"Okay," Magnus responded, shutting his trunk.

Alec looked at him. "She gave a second box, too. For you."

Magnus whirled around, blinking wide surprised eyes up at Alec. Alec only smiled and nudged the second box towards him.

"But why?" Magnus asked, looking genuinely confused.

Alec gave him a sheepish smile. "I may have told my mom about you. A lot of times. She likes you. My entire family does."

Magnus smiled at him. "I  _ am  _ pretty likeable."

Alec grinned and handed Magnus his box of pasta. Magnus stood up, dusting off any dirt from his pants, and accepted the box with a smile.

He moved to sit opposite Alec on the bed. The room smelled of pasta and was full of laughter that night.

The next day went by agonisingly slow. Around lunch, Alec received what he’d asked from Raphael, and had managed to hide it in his room without Magnus noticing.At night, Alec told Magnus that he was tired and wanted to sleep, and Magnus had kept silent, letting Alec get his rest. Except Alec never went to sleep. He kept silently checking his clock, and when it was nearly midnight, he quietly got out of bed, checked on Magnus to see if he was asleep - which he seemed to be, and then set on preparing his surprise. 

When he was done, there was only two minutes to midnight. He sat next to Magnus on his bed and slowly shook him awake.

“Magnus? Magnus, wake up,” he whispered.

Magnus mumbled something under his breath, but slowly opened his eyes.

“Wake up,” Alec said. “I need to show you something.”

Magnus groaned and sat up, rubbing his eyes. Alec turned away, picking up the thing that Raphael had gotten. He held it out to Magnus, whose hands dropped and eyes widened at the sight of it.

It was a cake, a really small chocolate flavoured one, covered in vanilla and coffee frosting. A lone candle was stuck in the middle, lighting up the space between Magnus and Alec with its soft glow.

“Happy birthday, Magnus,” Alec said with a small smile.

“Alexander-“ Magnus looked at him, his eyes a million times brighter than the candlelight, and said in an incredibly soft voice, “Thank you.”

Alec smiled at him. “It’s nothing.”

Alec carefully set the cake on the bed and let Magnus cut it, their smiles never escaping their faces. They ate the cake with their fingers, though Alec felt a little awkward when Magnus insisted on feeding him a slice. He reciprocated, though, and they laughed, moving to cut some more pieces of the cake.

“You didn’t have to do this, you know,” Magnus said after they’d had their fill and decided to stow away the rest for later. Alec stood by the sink, cleaning the plastic knife they’d used for cutting the cake.

“I wanted to,” Alec said earnestly. “I’d heard that it was your birthday today, and I- I really wanted to do something for you. You’re my roommate, after all.”

Alec turned off the tap and moved to set the clean knife on a shelf nearby. Magnus smiled and lay back on his bed, sending a sweet smile Alec’s way.

“Just roommates?” Magnus asked.

Alec paused a moment, and then said, “Well, you’re also my closest friend here.”

Magnus frowned a little, as if that wasn’t what he wanted to hear.

“What if I don’t want to be friends?” he asked.

Alec froze. He stared at Magnus for a moment, unblinking. “What?”

Magnus narrowed his eyes at Alec, looking into his eyes as if he was trying to search his soul. He stared for a long, long moment, and then turned away, waving his hand dismissively.

“Forget what I said,” Magnus said, covering himself with his blanket and going to sleep. “You’ll know when you need to know, Alexander.”


End file.
